U15 AAA

Trevor Sprague will oversee both the Integrated and Female U18 AAA teams in Northern B.C. Sprague has been involved in hockey in the north for over 30 years and has spent the last 15 years working with teams in the BCEHL. He is entering his seventh season as the general manager of the Cariboo Cougars and third as the general manager of the Northern Capitals. Sprague coached in Prince George for over 20 years before moving to the management side of the game.   

During his coaching and management career Sprague has won two provincial titles with the Cariboo Cougars’ U18 AAA team. Sprague is also a key driver behind the annual BC Hockey Winter Classic event that is held in Northern B.C. each winter. 

Derek Wood will make his head coaching debut in the BCEHL this season with the Cariboo Cougars’ U15 AAA team. He brings over 15 years of coaching experience at the minor hockey level with him, spending time with Prince George Minor Hockey Association and the North Central/North West U15 AA zone program. 

Prior to spending time behind the bench, Wood played for Prince George Minor Hockey and eventually progressed to the Western Hockey League where he spent four years playing for the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Calgary Hitmen and Medicine Hat Tigers. He also played seven years of professional hockey from 1996 to 2003, highlighted by a stint with the American Hockey League’s Rochester Americans in 1997-98. 

Troy Stordy is entering his first season in the BCEHL. He will split the general manager duties with Darrin Ponak. Stordy has worked as the Vice President of Mission Minor Hockey Association since 2010. He has also served as the development director and a coach in the association since he joined MMHA in 2010.

Stordy, who currently lives in Mission, earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Simon Fraser University. Away from the rink Stordy currently works as a Correctional Program Officer.

Riley Emmerson is entering his first season with the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds and his fourth in the BCEHL. Previously,  he was with the Valley West Giants for three years. He was a player coach with the Edinburgh Capitals of the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) in the U.K. during the final season of his playing career, which was also the start of his coaching career. He loves the challenge of pushing players to their best both on and off the ice. His coaching career highlight was a 16 round shootout win against the Greater Vancouver Canadians in the Pat Quinn Tournament.

Before Emmerson started coaching, he carved himself out a successful playing career, playing 10 years of professional hockey. In 2005 he was drafted to the National Hockey League by the Minnesota Wild and played in the East Coast Hockey league (ECHL), American Hockey League (AHL), Central Hockey League (CHL), and the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL).

Alain Wozney will oversee both the Greater Vancouver Canadians and the Fraser Valley Rush teams this season. Wozney is entering his 10th season working in the BCEHL and his 9th with the Fraser Valley Rush program, serving as the program’s general manager since the 2014-15 season. He will also take on the role of general manager with the Greater Vancouver Canadians program for his second season. He last oversaw the Canadians in this role during the 2013-14 season. Wozney has over 40 years of experience working and playing in the minor hockey system in B.C.  

Wozney played his minor hockey with Burnaby Winter Club before progressing to Junior A and playing with the Burnaby Bluehawks. He then attended the Memorial University of Newfoundland, studying Psychology and Humanities. He is now self-employed and works in hockey management.

Sinclair Kim is in his third season as a coach with the Greater Vancouver Canadians. Hockey has taken Kim all over the world, with stops in South Korea and most recently Sweden. He has worked with players from all levels from beginners to professionals. His passion is to help young players grow, both on-and-off the ice.

After growing up and playing hockey in the lower mainland, Kim continued his hockey playing journey all the way to the college level. His coaching career highlight is getting to coach in a different country and experiencing different hockey cultures.

Steve Smith is embarking on his first season as a general manager in the BCEHL. Smith also serves as the Executive Director of Kelowna Minor Hockey Association, a role he has held since 2017. Prior to this he was the Division Director for Kelowna Minor Hockey Association from 2010-17, and a coach in the association from 2008-17 as well.  

The Kelowna native has compiled over 17 years of experience working in minor hockey in Kelowna.

Max Mowat is now in his third-year coaching with the Okanagan Rockets program. In addition to his work with the Rockets, shares his passion for hockey through his roles at On the Edge Hockey Academy, the Stinger's Spring Hockey and private on and off ice skills work.

Mowat grew up in Oakville, Ontario and played his minor hockey with some notable players on the Toronto Marlies in the GTHL: Dougie Hamilton, Ryan Strome, Evan Rodrigues and Nicole Kosta. He wrapped up his playing career with the University of Calgary Dinos before he transitioned to coaching and developing young athletes. Max now resides in Coldstream, BC.

After serving as a key volunteer with the Thompson Blazers program during the 2022-23 season, Geoff Fuoco assumes the position of general manager for the program for the 2023-24 season. With over 14 years of experience in hockey, Fuoco has held coaching positions at the minor hockey level with Sicamous Minor Hockey Association and Salmon Arm Minor Hockey Association. He also coached at the junior level with the Sicamous Eagles of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL). 

Originally from Revelstoke, Fuoco currently resides in Kamloops, and serves as the arena manager for the Sicamous & District Recreation Centre. Fuoco has ran skills programs in Sicamous, Vernon and Kamloops over the past 12 years, and is a huge believer in skill development.

Jamie Fiset is entering his fifth year in the BCEHL as general manager with the Valley West Giants and brings an additional eight years of experience working in minor hockey previously. He has been involved with BC Hockey’s Program of Excellence including as the head coach of Team BC at the 2016 WHL Cup.  

Fiset was a board member with Langley Minor Hockey Association from 2010-14. Away from the rink Fiset is a teacher, he completed his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education at the University of British Columbia before earning his Master of Arts at Royal Roads University. 

Lance Vaillancourt is entering his second season as a general manager in the BCEHL. Previously, Vaillancourt was the associate coach & hockey operations manager for the South Zone Knights U18 Tier 1 team. He has also performed various coaching roles with Penticton Minor Hockey at all levels within the association. Vaillancourt brings over 35 years of experience within minor hockey to the Royals.  

In addition to his work within minor hockey in B.C., Vaillancourt was also a linesman within BC Hockey and worked as a linesman in the BCHL. Away from the rink he works as a civil servant with the Federal Government.

Tim Knight has coached hockey programs around the lower mainland and Sea to Sky area for the past 25 years. He has been involved with BC Hockey's U16 Pursuit of Excellence program for 10 years and has coached multiple U18AAA/U15AAA clubs with the BCEHL.

He is the founder of three High School hockey academies in the Sea to Sky Region and also was part of establishing the BC Hockey High School Championship BCHSHL Pilot. His goal is for the program to serve the young men throughout their years in hockey, but more importantly teach them values that they can take for the rest of their lives.